Another great ride in AZ, with 35 riders taking on Halfway Around the Mountain. This is our last day of 6:30 AM rides, as next week start we at 7:00. Just think, we are more than half way through this year, and the major rides are coming up for the fall, are you in shape? We had a brisk pace to the first regroup, with a few brave souls deciding to go all the way around and then up the mountain. Overall, a great day, and great day of riding.

Ride Schedule

9/3 - 7:00 AM - NOTICE NEW START TIME FOR SEPTEMBER - Tour de Lindsay - Mileage options of 40 or 54 miles - all flat. Breakfast at Bogies Club house Ken McDonald Golf Course - Rural between Guadalupe & Elliot.

9/4 - 7:00 AM - Our holiday tour - Take on the Milk Run. Several mileage options for 25, 36, 40, or 44 miles - all flat. Breakfast at Wildflower at the Chandler Mall.

9/10 - 7:00 AM - Tempe Mountains - Mileage options of 38 with light climbing and 45 miles with some more climbing. Breakfast at Einstein's on McClintock & Guadalupe.

9/17 - 7:00 AM - Tour de Mesa - Up to Mesa, mileage options of 35 or 45 miles, with the longer route having a little hills. Breakfast at Einstein's on McClintock & Guadalupe.

9/24 - 7:00 AM - Around the Mountain - Go around South Mountain, 50 flat miles. Breakfast at Bagel Nosh on 48th St. & Warner.

Hi All!

Our last early start time of the summer brought out 99 riders for our hilly romp today. A larger portion of the group than usual opted for the short route, knowing it would be challenging even in the milder temp. The advanced riders prepped themselves for the elevation gains by keeping it under 30mph (maybe) as they zipped across Rio Salado on their quest to the climbs. As the morning progressed, SatCyclers were spotted on every feasible version of the route possible, sometimes passing each other in opposite directions. Creative problem solving... if the mapped route offers too many hills.. make your own path.

Coming up...

Saturday 9/2/06 7:00am Kiwanis Park. NOTE THE TIME CHANGE! We head to the northeast on the Tour de Mesa, route options of 29 miles or 39 miles. Breakfast at Einstein's, northwest corner Guadalupe and McClintock.

Monday 9/4/06 7:00am Desert Breeze Park. A holiday romp! If you are not laboring, come out for a romp to the southeast on the Milk Run. Though this is Spin Cycle's start point, this will be an all levels group, with a "u pick it" route map offering at least 4 mileage options, with no climbing. Breakfast at Wildflower, northwest of Frye and Price in the Chandler Mall.

Saturday 9/9/06 7:00am Kiwanis Park. The Roundabout Route takes us around town, with mileage options of 25 miles (no climbing) or 35 miles (with a couple of climbs). Breakfast at Bruegger's, northwest corner Mill & 11th.

Tid bits

Beware of bobbled starts. If you are running and stutter a start, you just hesitate for a second, find your stride, and off you go. But if you bobble a start on a bike, and let it distract you from what you are doing, the end results can be a little more complicated. Like falling over, hitting other cyclists, or rolling into the path of a car. If you are starting up from a light or stop sign and have trouble getting into your pedals, or don't get enough momentum going to properly start, don't stop "riding your bike"... which means stay in control of where your bike is going and be aware of what is around you. Try to continue rolling straight ahead as best you can, avoiding steering into the traffic lane or getting crosswise in the path of the oncoming riders from behind who managed to not bobble their start. Learning to ease away from a stop in a smooth skilled manner is an ability that needs to be developed, both for riding in groups and surviving solo urban riding. And falling over in slow motion just always looks so dang goofy.

Ride safe.

We had 26 riders today see all of the East Valley cities. We also welcomed back Gene to the group - what a stud. We had 4 new riders today, Jerome, Pam, Kate, and Jennifer - welcome. Our pack split in two, the fast slathering dogs and the "I'm going to ride and chat" group. All made it around the route in one fashion or the other. Only highlight was Sue getting hooked before the start by a fishing hook. I'm sure that is a first, guess she was the "catch of the day"!

Ride Schedule

8/27 - 6:30 AM - Halfway Around the Mountain - Head out towards Riggs and the halfway point and turn around. Full mileage is 45 miles, can shorten to 20 if you need. Breakfast at Brueggers Bagels on Chandler & Rural.

9/3 - 7:00 AM - NOTICE NEW START TIME FOR SEPTEMBER - Tour de Lindsay - Mileage options of 40 or 54 miles - all flat. Breakfast at Bogies Club house Ken McDonald Golf Course - Rural between Guadalupe & Elliot.

9/4 - 7:00 AM - Our holiday tour - Take on the Milk Run. Several mileage options for 25, 36, 40, or 44 miles - all flat. Breakfast at Wildflower at the Chandler Mall.

9/10 - 7:00 AM - Tempe Mountains - Mileage options of 38 with light climbing and 45 miles with some more climbing. Breakfast at Einstein's on McClintock & Guadalupe.

9/17 - 7:00 AM - Tour de Mesa - Up to Mesa, mileage options of 35 or 45 miles, with the longer route having a little hills. Breakfast at Einstein's on McClintock & Guadalupe.

9/24 - 7:00 AM - Around the Mountain - Go around South Mountain, 50 flat miles. Breakfast at Bagel Nosh on 48th St. & Warner.

Hi All!

An absolutely stunning sunrise tempted 78 riders out to the park this morning, including 12 tandem teams. (Well... 13 if you count Jack and Buddy at the breakfast stop... but that was one of those "you had to be there moments"!) Some interesting pairings of riders made for quite an adventure, with Holly & Paula debuting as team "Vertically Challenged" and a couple of parent/child duos. (If you can get your kid on the back of a tandem with you, you must be doing at least something right in the parenting world.) Most managed to take on some version of the route and appear at the food stop, drippy but smiling.

Coming up...

Saturday 8/26/06 6:30am Kiwanis Park. Our last crack of dawn romp of the summer. We head north on the St. Francis Loop. Climbing for everybody, with route options of 26 miles or 36 miles. Breakfast at Bruegger's, northwest corner Mill & 11th.

Saturday 9/2/06 7:00am Kiwanis Park. NOTE THE TIME CHANGE! Finally, our gorgeous September mornings. Off we'll roll to the northeast on the Tour de Mesa, route options of 29 miles or 39 miles. Breakfast at Einstein's, northwest corner Guadalupe and McClintock (yes... Einy's is on McClintock not Alma School... sorry!).

Monday 9/4/06 7:00am Desert Breeze Park. A holiday romp! If you are not laboring, come out for a romp to the southeast on the Milk Run. Though this is Spin Cycle's start point, this will be an all levels group, with a "u pick it" route map offering at least 4 mileage options, with no climbing. Breakfast at Wildflower, northwest of Frye and Price in the Chandler Mall.

Tid bits

A search is on for a half-bike... a one wheeled child bike attachement that hooks onto the rear of an adult's bike, allowing a young rider to pedal along with you. Do you have one gathering dust that needs a home? Free or cheap would be grand. If so, contact Sue Fassett.

Ride safe.

We had 27 riders today take on Mummy Mountain. We also had 4 new riders - Allan & Sabine, Rick, and Gil - welcome. Our group stayed calm for the first 10 miles or so and then the gloves were off. Our first regroup at the park was entertaining, with Mr. Siart proclaiming, "Who needs Mojo, when you have Magneto!" I'm sure he knew what he was talking about - one of those had to be there...Oh yes, Magneto is from X-Men! Our jaunt around the mountains was good with everyone making it around in some fashion or another.

Ride Schedule

8/20 - 6:30 AM - Metro Mania - Hit all the cities in the east valley - mileage options of 36 or 45 miles, all pretty flat. Breakfast at Einstein Bagels on Rural & Ray.

8/27 - 6:30 AM - Halfway Around the Mountain - Head out towards Riggs and the halfway point and turn around. Full mileage is 45 miles, can shorten to 20 if you need. Breakfast at Brueggers Bagels on Chandler & Rural.

Hi All!

For your reading pleasure, two weeks worth of ride reports rolled into one.

Thanks to Neal Thomas for stepping up to lead the pack last Satuday. (Who knew a quality rider leader lurked in that Laffy Taffy clogged heart??) He sent the following post ride commnets:

"Had about 80 riders today for a relatively cool trip to Mummy Mountain. Pleased to note that even though there were three sources advising that the Officers of the law might be monitoring the mountain area, no one got warned or ticketed. Overall good time seemed to be enjoyed by all. For those of you not up on your TDF lore, there is a group called the nuts or clowns of Mt Ventoux. They find every way up and down this famous mountain in one day. Well, it is time to create the "Nuts of Mummy" Our first honorees are Ron McFadden and Tina Miller (substituting for our ride leaderess). On their first tandem ride together, it featured riding on and off course, stopping and discussing ON THE HILL whether to go up or around and finally some reverse traversing at regroups. They sure seemed to be having fun but it seemed every time the ride leader pro tem was around something was just not right!!!"

On our romp across McKellips yesterday we had 81 riders turn out for what started as an almost cool roll out, but ended under sauna conditions. We had a couple of improptu regroups due to riders needing to stop and wash the salt out of their eyes. The roll up through the ASU campus was made a bit challenging by the entire plaza area being under demolition which for some reason requires large PVC piping to be laid out across the sidewalks. A few riders practiced their bunny-hopping, while the majority praticed their walking. No one seemed to mind a long line at Einy's for the food stop at the end of the excursion... since it required staying inside in the airconditioned paradise till your turn came up.

Coming up...

Saturday 8/19/06 6:30am Kiwanis Park. It's Tandemania! Our annual quest to get as many tandems on the road at one time as we can. In answer to a question raised... yes, of course, single bikes are still welcome. Who else is going to laugh at all the new teams trying to ride in some co-ordinated fashion? Route is the Tour de Sue to the south with options on Riggs or Queen Creek. Breakfast at Atlanta Bread Co, southeast corner Elliot & 56th St.

Saturday 8/26/06 6:30am Kiwanis Park. Our last crack of dawn romp of the summer. We head north on the St. Francis Loop. Climbing for everybody, with route options of 26 miles or 36 miles. Breakfast at Bruegger's, northwest corner Mill & 11th.

Saturday 9/2/06 7:00am Kiwanis Park. NOTE THE TIME CHANGE! Finally, our gorgeous September mornings. Off we'll romp to the northeast on the Tour de Mesa, route options of 29 miles or 39 miles. Breakfast at Einstein's, northwest corner Guadalupe and Alma School.

Tid bits

Yes, the route map yesterday did indeed reflect the wrong cross streets for the breakfast stop. For those that missed the eats, sorry, we didn't really try to lose you on purpose. (Or at least most of you.) Staying with the theme that if you do too good a job at something, it's your job for life... we are still looking for some new ideas for routes.

Ride safe.

Below is the ride report from Neal - thanks for leading the group.

We had 24 riders with Eleanor and Kim as new riders. Kim did an outstanding job with the lead group even noticing Klein had a flat before he did. Very fast from 1st to second regroup and not to shabby on the wind aided return. Over 10 people for breakfast at Wildflower and once again some flowery discussion (at Neal's expense of course).

Marty did some good pulling and we even had a few 30+ stints with good teamwork. All in all one of the group's favorite rides!!!

Ride Schedule

8/13 - 6:30 AM - The Original Mummy Mountain route - By Ron's special request - route options of 35 or 45 miles, with minor climbing on the 35 mile route and a lot of climbing on the 45 mile route. Breakfast at Einstein Bagels on McClintock & Guadalupe.

8/20 - 6:30 AM - Metro Mania - Hit all the cities in the east valley - mileage options of 36 or 45 miles, all pretty flat. Breakfast at Einstein Bagels on Rural & Ray.

8/27 - 6:30 AM - Halfway Around the Mountain - Head out towards Riggs and the halfway point and turn around. Full mileage is 45 miles, can shorten to 20 if you need. Breakfast at Brueggers Bagels on Chandler & Rural.